Has the Zune marketing team gone nuts?
I can’t, at least at this point in time, verify whether this is true or not but there seems to be a video going around that makes some question the sanity of the Zune marketing team. The video of the Zune commercial in question shows two very odd looking creatures interacting with each other. There is absolutely zero words being spoken—only sound effects.
The best thoughts I have of this odd commercial are that it’s a metaphor for the sharing of music between Zune’s. If that is the case, it really looks—according to the commercial—like there is a significant amount of energy required to send one song/file to another Zune. It would make more sense to me that the marketing team of the Zune make it seem as effortless as possible.
In the eyes of others, this could be a very different metaphor. This could signal the amount of effort and time it will take Microsoft, the larger character in the video, to create acceptance, buzz, and product loyalty for the Zune, the smaller character.
Other than the pure comedic value of the video, what do you think?
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Why would they make their creature in an almost exact replica of male genitalia? That has to be one of the most unintentionally disturbing commercials ever. Actually, it could be intentionally disturbing, but either way, it’s horrible.
Chris Fehnel on January 2nd, 2007 3:36 pm
Your guess is as good as mine Chris. That and the butt shot are what’s making me think that this is not real—at least for US markets.
Mike Stickel on January 2nd, 2007 3:53 pm
I’m wondering if there is something to be said for the fact that - even if Microsoft’s marketing team tried really hard - they couldn’t do a “good” commercial. So, excepting defeat - they take another approach (call it either the “train wreck” or “John C. Dvorak”) - and make an ad so moronic that people will link to it on YouTube like crazy and get the word Zune spoken by tons of people.
Who knows, who knows.
Colin D. Devroe on January 2nd, 2007 4:11 pm
That very well could be Colin. It would be quite a different direction and worthy of applause if they did choose that route.
Mike Stickel on January 2nd, 2007 4:14 pm
Ok, that was absolutely pointless. What a waste of money. They should have used the budget for this ad to give away a bunch of Zunes.
josue salazar on January 2nd, 2007 5:03 pm
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They would sell a lot of Zunes just showing the product. My wife has seen a couple commercials about it and still has no idea what the commercials for the Zune are advertising.
Sal Curiel on January 2nd, 2007 6:08 pm
Sal, maybe if they keep the product ambiguous in the commercials they think more people will buy it out of curiosity.
On the other hand, they could just be trying to make people complain about the marketing, thereby getting people to really talk about the product.
Mike Stickel on January 3rd, 2007 10:19 am